Johannes Couchet

Flemish harpsichord
after "Joseph Johannes Couchet, 1679"

The widening of compass and disposition in a harpsichord was called "Ravalement"; many instruments of the Ruckers-Couchet family were adapted in this way in order to keep them up-to-date with the changed musical tastes of the 18th century. This practice produced some of the finest instruments that still survive, in particular those of the Parisian makers F. Blanchet and P. Taskin.

The Couchet instrument from which this ravalé copy has been taken has three registers that pluck only two choirs of strings; both 8' pluck the same string. The original harpsichord is kept at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C. The version that I present here has the usual 18th century disposition, with independent strings for every register.

The outside of the case can be decorated to imitate red marble with hand-made paper and Latin mottoes inside, on request. I also build copies of the instrument with five-octaves compass (FF-f3), or with the original disposition and compass (C-c3, 49 notes).